Trader Sam’s Tiki Terrace & Grog Grotto

Paula, Hunter, and I arrived and checked in at Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto at about 5:00. The bar had been open since 4:00 and was at maximum capacity (which is only about 50 people), with a list of guests waiting to be allowed in. We added our name to the list (I think we may have been given a pager) and then went outside to the Tiki Terrace to wait. While there Paula and Hunter each ordered a rum & diet coke with lime (which Hunter told me was called a Skinny Bitch)…

We also ordered a couple of appetizers to share…

The first was the Pan-fried Dumplings with Soy-Sesame Dipping Sauce…

And we also tried the Roasted Chicken and Pork Pâte Báhn Mì Sliders…

The dumplings were just okay. They tasted like they were baked, rather than pan-fried as described on the menu. The sliders though were delicious!

After about a 30 – 40 minute wait on the Terrace, it was our turn to enter the Grotto. Once inside you have to find your own seats.

We found a large open table in a corner. With a few extra chairs at our table, we invited a nice newlywed couple to join us. They were honeymooning at Disney World and were at the Polynesian to attend the Spirit of Aloha dinner show later that evening.

The menu explains the story of Trader Sam, from the Jungle Cruise ride…

As stated above, “Along the way he picked up many of the trinkets and artifacts (and barnacles) that you see around.”

Around our table were…

Now time to take a look at their specialty cocktail menu (which had the same cocktails as the menu we were given outside on the Terrace)…

We decided to share the Uh-oA!…so the chanting began “Uh-Oa! Uh-Oa! Uh-Oa!” which awakened the Tiki goddess of Disaster.

Our Uh-oA! arrived at the table…

On three sides of the cup/bowl were pots of cinnamon which we were encouraged to use to turn the flame into sparks…

You could definitely taste the rum in this drink. I can definitely see why it recommended for two or more people to share.

Our tablemates chose a different rum-filled cocktail, the Nautilus…

Which came with its own special effects that involved a snorkel mask.

And then completing the cocktail portion of this review with Hunter’s Rum Flight…

I think Hunter kept as a souvenir the three ceramic tumblers in which the rum was served, which is why this flight cost about $35. I think we all passed on the Uh-Oa! tiki bowl though, which meant we got a break on the usual price of about $40. Our friends’ Nautilus was an even more expensive drink. I believe it was $50+ if you wanted to take home that ceramic submarine after drinking the contents.

Moving on now to our food. Like the cocktails, the appetizer menu inside the Grotto bar were the same as what was available outside on the Terrace.

So we tried two more of the available options, starting with the Corn-battered Portuguese Sausages served with Curry Ketchup…

And last, we had the Kahlua Pork Tacos with Cabbage and Pickled Vegetables…

Both of these were pretty good, but the sliders were by far the best of the four appetizers we tried.

So overall, a good time was had by all! The theming of this place is crazy good and the their cocktail “schtick” is fun. But their drink prices will probably keep me from returning here very often.